Ingredient Review

The first ingredient is salmon. Although salmon is an excellent protein and omega-3 fatty acid source, raw salmon contains more than 60% moisture. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of salmon is dramatically reduced. Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat.

The second ingredient is whitefish. Although whitefish is an excellent protein and fat source, raw whitefish contains more than 60% moisture. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of whitefish is dramatically reduced. Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat.

The third ingredient is dried egg product. Dried egg product consists of shell-free eggs which are easy to digest and contain high quality protein. Egg protein is often given the highest biological value (BV). The BV metric measures the usability of the ingredient's protein.

The fourth ingredient is dried pea. Dried peas are an excellent carbohydrate source, naturally rich in dietary fiber and protein.

The fifth ingredient is dried chickpea. Dried chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are an excellent carbohydrate source, naturally rich in dietary fiber and protein.

Because ingredients are listed in order of pre-cooked weight, the remaining ingredients in Halo Grain Free Indoor Cat Healthy Weight Holistic Wild Salmon & Whitefish Recipe are not as important as the first five ingredients.

However, collectively they still have a significant impact on the overall quality of the product. Therefore, we'll continue discussing the remaining ingredients in this Halo recipe.

Next we have soybean protein concentrate. Soybean protein concentrate is produced by removing the water soluble carbohydrates from soybeans. The inclusion of non-meat protein typically degrades the overall quality of protein in the recipe. This degradation is due to the inferior amino acid profile of plant based proteins.

The next ingredient is dried potato. Dried potatoes are commonly used in pet food as a gluten-free carbohydrate source. In addition to carbohydrates, dried potatoes also supply protein and various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Then we have natural flavor, which is used to enhance the flavor of the food.

Moving on, we have flaxseed. Flaxseeds are an outstanding source of omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber. They also provide a notable amount of protein, B vitamins, and various minerals.

Moving on with this review, we have pea fiber. Pea fiber is a concentrated dietary fiber source. Fiber can help stabilize blood sugar levels and promote colon health.

The next ingredient in this review is potato protein. Potato protein is produced by extracting the starch of potatoes. This process results in a high protein and low ash ingredient called potato protein.

Our next ingredient is chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), which provides a healthy dose of omega-6 fatty acids.

calcium sulfate is the next ingredient in this recipe. Calcium sulfate is a food additive that helps control acidity levels and functions as a firming agent. It's not a desirable ingredient, but it is considered safe by the FDA in small quantities.

Next on the list is dicalcium phosphate. Dicalcium phosphate (misnomer for dibasic calcium phosphate) is commonly used in pet food and treats as a dietary calcium supplement. It can also be found in breakfast cereals, enriched flour, noodle products, pharmaceutical tablets, and toothpastes.

The remaining ingredients in this Halo Grain Free Indoor Cat Healthy Weight recipe are unlikely to affect the overall rating of the product.

Our analysis of the ingredients show that this product derives a considerable amount of protein from non-meat ingredients. This is an undesirable property because plant based protein often lacks many of the necessary amino acids required by cats. This property is typically found in lower quality products.

Final Thoughts

In summary, we recognize that this product does not contain any artificial colors, artificial preservatives, or anonymous meat ingredients.